Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,859 in Kristianstad versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,842 in Kristianstad versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,826 in Kristianstad versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kristianstad is roughly 47% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kristianstad is 40% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 SEK 143

$11.72 MX$203

28.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 SEK 700

$41.89 MX$725

75.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 SEK 99.3

$10.51 MX$182

-0.57%

Cappuccino

$4.76 SEK 45.24

$3.59 MX$62.0

32.59%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SEK 25.88

$1.51 MX$26.10

80.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.66

$0.92 MX$15.83

170.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 SEK 72.6

$2.96 MX$51.2

158.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 70.6

$4.41 MX$76.3

68.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 SEK 21.28

$1.40 MX$24.16

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 SEK 26.90

$1.88 MX$32.60

50.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 SEK 37.14

$1.56 MX$26.97

150.64%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 38.69

$2.61 MX$45.14

55.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 SEK 116

$8.32 MX$144

47.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 SEK 111

$8.35 MX$145

39.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 SEK 166

$10.86 MX$188

60.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 SEK 29.52

$2.71 MX$46.93

14.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.54

$1.51 MX$26.04

78.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.31

$1.87 MX$32.41

59.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 41.71

$2.19 MX$37.89

100.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 15.52

$1.86 MX$32.14

-12.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 SEK 17.48

$2.23 MX$38.59

-17.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 SEK 23.71

$1.07 MX$18.48

133.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.27

$1.09 MX$18.79

37.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SEK 68.3

$4.19 MX$72.4

71.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 SEK 108

$10.43 MX$180

8.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 18.87

$1.66 MX$28.68

19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.83

$2.61 MX$45.19

-24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 32.37

$0.54 MX$9.37

531.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.4 SEK 706

$26.16 MX$453

184.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 SEK 59.1

$3.08 MX$53.3

101.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.13

$2.40 MX$41.61

-33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.2 SEK 591

$3.13 MX$54.1

1887.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.49

$1.31 MX$22.69

48.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.0K SEK 304.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

7.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.5K SEK 327.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

47.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$114 SEK 1,078

$81.3 MX$1,406

39.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.27 SEK 269

$22.56 MX$390

25.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.91 SEK 351

$30.05 MX$520

22.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.24 SEK 382

$52.9 MX$915

-23.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.39 SEK 241

$18.39 MX$318

38.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 SEK 152

$4.92 MX$85.1

225.20%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$150 SEK 1,421

$201 MX$3,474

-25.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,214 SEK 40.0K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-18.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 SEK 893

$35.92 MX$622

161.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 SEK 382

$40.13 MX$694

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 SEK 919

$79.7 MX$1,379

21.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,458

$86.5 MX$1,496

77.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 SEK 7,552

$978 MX$16.9K

-18.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 SEK 6,117

$470 MX$8,140

36.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 SEK 13.2K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-15.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 SEK 10.3K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-10.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,188 SEK 39.8K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

5.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,809 SEK 26.7K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-57.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,582 SEK 24.5K

$677 MX$11.7K

281.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

11.42

-60.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kristianstad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $795 in Kristianstad and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristianstad pays 282% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Kristianstad vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kristianstad vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 282% higher in Kristianstad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $795 in Kristianstad versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,859 per month in Kristianstad versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 184% less than in Kristianstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,859 in Kristianstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kristianstad. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kristianstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Kristianstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.